Safety lock cuff link

ABSTRACT

D R A W I N G A CUFF LINK FOR USE WITH A SHIRT OR BLOUSE HAVING FRENCH CUFFS. STRUCTURALLY, THE CUFF LINKED HAS A NARROW SUPPORT ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH AN OPENING PROVIDED THEREFOR IN THE CUFF, AND THE SUPPORT IS EQUIPTED AT ONE END WITH A DECORATIVE FACE PLATE. ADJACENT ITS OPPOSITE END, THE SUPPORT PIVOTALLY CARRIES A LOCK BAR SELECTIVELY MOVABLE BETWEEN A RELEASE POSITION IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SUPPORT TO PERMIT MOVEMENT THEREOF THROUGH THE OPENING IN SUCH CUFF AND CONFINING POSITION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SUPPORT TO PREVENT MOVEMENT THEREOF THROUGH SUCH OPENING TO CONFINE THE LINK IN FUNCTIONAL ASSOCIATION WITH A CUFF. A SAFETY LATCH STRUCTURE INCORPORATED IN THE CUFF LINK INCLUDES A SAFETY LATCH PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY THE LOCK BAR AND A LATCH RECEIVER IN THE FORM OF A RECESS PROVIDED BY THE SUPPORT. THE SAFETY LATCH IS RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE LATCH RECEIVER TO SELECTIVELY CONSTRAIN THE LOCK BAR AGAINST INADVERTENT MOVEMENT THEREOF FROM ITS CONFINING POSITION IN WHICH IT MAITAINS THE CUFF LINK IN FUNCTIONAL ASSOCIATION WITH A SHIFT CUFF.

Dec. 7, 1971 H. P. FILLER SAFETY LOCK CUFF LINK Filed Sept. 8, 1970 G F 0 MW 3 m o 2 2 52 I a a 3 I v I 7 \I F". I

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HERMAN RF LER BY: 6 W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,624,869 SAFETY LOCK CUFF LINK Herman P. Filler, 1600 E. 41st St., Cleveland, Ohio 58424 Filed Sept. 8, 1970, Ser. No. 70,363 Int. Cl. A44b 1/18 US. Cl. 2490.5 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cuff link for use with a shirt or blouse having French cuffs. Structurally, the cuff link has a narrow support adapted to extend through an opening provided therefor in the cuff, and the support is equipped at one end with a decorative face plate. Adjacent its opposite end, the support pivotally carries a lock bar selectively movable between a release position in alignment with the support to permit movement thereof through the opening in such cuff and a confining position at right angles to the support to prevent movement thereof through such opening to confine the link in functional association with a cuff. A safety latch structure incorporated in the cuff link includes a. safety latch pivotally carried by the lock bar and a latch receiver in the form of a recess provided by the support. The safety latch is releasably engageable with the latch receiver to selectively constrain the lock bar against inadvertent movement thereof from its confining position in which it maintains the cuff link in functional association with a shirt cuff.

This invention relates to cuff links for use with mens shirts and womens blouses having sleeves that terminate in French cuffs, and relates more particularly to a cuff link equipped with a safety latch that prevents inadvertent release of the link from functional association with the cuff of such shirt or blouse.

Cuff links in a great variety of forms are used with mens shirts and womens blouses having sleeves that terminate in French cuffs, real or simulated, to fasten the opposite sides of the cuff to each other. Not only do the cuff links perform a functional service, they are also decorative and in this sense are jewelry. Accordingly, it is quite customary for cuff links to be made from materials that are relatively expensive such as gold and silver, and it is also usual and customary to have the decorative faces of the cuff links provided with ornamental designs which often include precious and semiprecious stones such as diamonds, rubies, jade, etc. It will be evident, then, that cuff links of this type may be relatively expensive, and in any case are carefully selected items, often constituting gifts, so that loss thereof is quite disappointing.

Nevertheless, loss frequently occurs because of the manner in which the cuff links must be constructed in order to make them removably cooperative with a shirt cuff. More particularly, the conventional cuff link includes a decorative face plate having a long narrow support extending at right angles from one side thereof which is adapted to be pushed through the opening provided therefor in a French cuff. Adjacent its opposite end, the support is equipped with a pivotally mounted lock bar selectively movable between a release position in general alignment with the support so as to move therewith through the opening in a cuff and a confining position generally at right angles to the support so as to parallel the decorative face plate and cooperate therewith in confining the cuff link in functional association with the shirt cuff. Although detent and equivalent arrangements are included in cuff links of this type to releasably constrain the lock bar in its confining position, such arrangements are by no means completely effective to prevent accidental displacement of the lock bar because they are intended to yield when a force of sufficient magnitude is applied to the lock bar tending to displace it into its release position. A force of such type and magnitude is frequently applied to the lock bar inadvertently during normal use of a cuff link, and it is not infrequent, therefore, that a cuff link is lost.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved cuff link having a safety latch operative to protect the cuff link from loss.

Further objects, among others, of the invention are in the provision of a simple, inexpensive, and esthetically attractive safety latch for a cuff link; a safety latch that is positive in its operation yet quickly and easily latched and released; and a safety latch that includes a latch element pivotally carried by the lock bar of the cuff link and a latch receiver provided by the elongated support of the link and selectively engageable with the latch ele ment to confine the same in the lock position thereof, the latch element being resiliently yieldable to enable releasable engagement with the latch receiver.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention, especially as concerns particular features and characteristics thereof, will become apparent as the specification continues.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and which:

FIG. 1 is an end view in elevation of a cuff link embodying the invention, the link being shown in confining position on the French cuff of a mans shirt;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the cuff link illustrated in FIG. 1 with the release position of the locking bar being shown in broken lines and the latch position of the safety latch element being illustrated in broken lines; and

:FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the cuff link, taken along the plane 3-3 of FIG. 2, in which the unlatched position of the safety latch element is illustrated in broken lines.

A cuff link embodying the present invention may be of generally conventional form, and it is intended to be used in an ordinary manner to close the French cuff of a mans shirt or womans blouse provided that such shirt or blouse has an opening in the adjacent sides of the cuff (whether a standard French cuff or a modified form thereof) through which portions of the link can extend to position confining elements thereof on each side of the cuff. As is well known, cuff links of this general type take a variety of specific forms, and in addition to their functional features, are characterized by their decorative features, thereby being also articles of jewelry. Accordingly, it is not unusual for the entire cuff link to be made from silver or gold or other costly metal, and the decorative face plate of the link may have artistic designs engraved thereon or may be partly or wholly covered with precious and semiprecious stones such as diamonds, jade, and the like. It is evident, then, that cuff links of this type can be very expensive.

The particular embodiment of the cuff link illustrated in the drawing is designated in its entirety with the numeral 10, and it is shown in FIG. 1 in functional association with the French cuff 11 of a mans shirt. The cuff 11 is of standard design comprising sides 12 and 14 each of which is provided with an opening 15 therethrough which may be long and narrow, as shown, and adapted to pass portions of the cuff link 10 therethrough whenever the two openings are aligned one with another. As hereinbefore stated, the cuff 11 may be completely standard, and the cuff link 10 is functionally associated with the cuff in a wholly ordinary and usual manner; the invention being in the safety lock characteristics of the cuff link, as described in detail hereinafter.

The cuff link includes a face plate 16 adapted to be disposed along one side of the shirt cuff 11, the under side 14 as illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the face plate is completely concealed by the cuff. The face plate 16 may vary widely in design, configuration, and ornamentation, and in the form shown is a flat or planar component of generally square-shaped configuration which may be engraved or otherwise provided with ornamentation along the outer surface 17 thereof. Fixedly secured to the face plate 16 along its opposite or inner surface is an elongated support 18 that may be welded thereto, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The support 18 is transversely disposed with respect to the plane of the face plate 16 to enable it to extend through the aligned openings in the cuff 11. In the particular form shown, the angular disposition of the support 18 relative to the plane of the face plate :16 is one of normalcy. The support 18 is of generally 'U-shaped configuration having spaced apart legs 19 and 20 defining a recess 21 therebetween.

A look bar 22 is pivotally secured to the support 18 for angular displacement with respect thereto between a release position, shown by broken lines in FIG. 2, in which it is in general alignment with the support for movement therewith through the aligned openings 15 in a cuff 11, and a confining position, illustrated in full lines in each of the figures, in which it is disposed at substantially right angles to the support 18 and lies in a plane generally parallel to that of the face plate 16 and in spaced relation therewith so as to cooperate with the face plate in confining the cuff link upon the cuff 11, as shown in FIG. 1. In the form shown, the lock bar 22 is an elongated cylindrical member having about the same length as that of the face plate 16, and it is disposed between the spaced legs 19 and 20 of the support and is connected therewith by means of a pivot pin 24, as shown in FIG. 1, extending through the leg 19, lock bar 22, and into the leg 20.

Mounted upon the look bar 22 for angular displacements with respect thereto is a safety-latch element 25 of somewhat U-shaped configuration having spaced legs 26 and 27 that are turned inwardly at the outer ends thereof, as shown best in FIG. 1, to provide pivot pins 28 and 2-9, respectively, projecting into openings provided therefor at the outer extremities of the lock bar 22. The pivot pins or ends 28 and 29 of the safety latch 25 are axially aligned and define a pivot axis about which the safety latch is movable between a latched position shown by full lines in FIGS. 1 and 3 and an unlatched position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2. In its latched position, the safety latch 25 is interlockingly engageable with a latch receiver 30' in the form of a recess or groove provided in an enlargement 31 at the outer free end of the leg 20' of the elongated support 18.

The enlargement 31 is provided along the outer surface of the leg 20, and the thickness thereof between the inner and outer surfaces of such leg (i.e., along the axis of the pivot pin 24) is slightly greater than the distance between the long base leg 32 of the safety latch 25 and the outer surface of the lock bar 22. Therefore, it is necessary for the base leg 32 of the safety latch 25 to deform slightly in moving into interlocking engagement with the recess 30. Since any such deformation should be of transient character, the safety latch 25 is characterized by being somewhat resilient, and it may be formed of a spring Wire permitting repetitive deformations of a transient character as long as the elastic limit of the material is not exceeded.

The latch recess 30 at the inner extremity thereof is spaced from the outer surface of the lock bar 22 by approximately the same distance as the cross bar 32 so that the cross bar is not deformed when seated within the latch recess, as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the inherent resilience of the safety latch 25 maintains the same in interlocking engagement with the latch recess 30 whenever the safety latch is in the latched position thereof. The outer corner of the enlargement 31 may be rounded slightly, as shown at 34 in FIG. 2, to facilitate movement thereover of the base 32 of the safety latch 25 whenever the safety latch is displaced between the latched and unlatched position thereof.

In use of the safety lock cuff link 10, it is cooperatively arranged with a shirt cuff 11 in the ordinary manner. That is to say, the safety latch 25 is located in the unlatched position thereof shown by full lines in FIG. 2, and the lock bar 22 is pivoted into the release position thereof shown by broken lines in this same 'figure. Accordingly, all of the components with the exception of the face plate 16 are in substantial longitudinal alignment with the support 18 and can be displaced therewith through the aligned openings 15 in the sides 12 and 14 of the cuff 11. Thereafter, the lock bar 22 is angularly displaced relative to the support 18 into the confining position shown in full lines in each of the figures in which it is disposed at substantially right angles relative to the support 18 and, therefore, substantially parallels the face plate 16 so as to cooperate therewith in confining the cuff link in functional association with the shirt cuff 11. The safety latch 25 is then swung from the unlatched position thereof shown by full lines in FIG. 2 into the latched position illustrated by full lines in FIGS. 1 and 3 in which it cooperatively engages the latch recess 30. In this configuration of the cuff link 10, the lock bar 22 is constrained in the confining position thereof by the safety latch 25 and cannot be inadvertently displaced into its release position because of the strong constraint or inhibition to pivotal movement enforced thereon by the safety latch.

The safety latch 25 affords considerable resistance to displacement from the latched position thereof because of its inherent resilience which confines it within the latch recess 30 against inadvertent displacement therefrom. Nevertheless, whenever it is desired to remove the cuff link 10, the safety latch 25 is readily displaced from the latch recess 30 by application of a slight, outwardlydirected force to the base 32 of the safety latch near the leg 20 of the support 18.

Although the resilience of the safety latch is adequate to maintain base 32 seated within the latch recess 30 against inadvertent displacement therefrom, the long length of the base '32 permits it to be bowed outwardly to release the base from the recess by application of a small-value force readily applied by the fingers of the hand. Whenever the safety latch 25 is in its unlatched position, lock bar 22 may be pivoted into its release position to permit removal of the cuff link '10 from the cuff 11 in a conventional manner.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cuff link of the character described, comprising a face plate adapted to be disposed along one side of a French cuff or the like having alignable openings in the opposite sides thereof, an elongated support secured to said face plate and extending transversely therefrom to extend through such aligned openings in a cuff, a lock bar pivotally secured to said support for angular displacements with respect thereto between a release position in general alignment with said support for movement therewith through such cuff openings and a confining position at substantially right angles with respect to said support and in spaced generally parallel relation with said face plate to confine said link upon such cuff, and a safety latch extending generally along said lock bar and being pivotally supported thereby for movement with respect thereto between latched and unlatched positions whenever said lock bar is in the confining position thereof said support being provided therealong with a latch receiver interlockingly engageable with said safety latch in its latched position to maintain the same in such position.

2. The cuff link of claim 1 in which said latch receiver is a recess provided in said support releasably seating said safety latch therein.

3. The cuff link of claim 2 in which said safety latch is resilient and is transiently deformable in seating the same within and removing it from said latch recess, whereby the inherent resilience of the safety latch confines it within said recess against inadvertent displacements therefrom.

4. The cuff link of claim 3 in which said elongated support is provided with an enlargement adjacent the outer end portion thereof, and in which said latch recess is located in said enlargement, said safety latch being transiently deformed in moving over said enlargement in being displaced into and removed from said latch recess.

5. The cuff link of claim 1 in which said elongated support is equipped with spaced apart legs defining a channel therebetween, in which said lock bar is pivotally supported between said legs, and in which one of said legs is enlarged adjacent the outer end portion thereof, said latch receiver being located along said enlargement.

6. The cuff link of claim 5 in which said latch receiver is a recess provided in said enlargement releasably seating said safety latch therein, and in which said safety latch is resilient and is transiently deformed in being seated within and removed from said latch recess, whereby the inherent resilience of said safety latch confines it within said latch recess against inadvertent displacements therefrom.

7. The cuff link of claim 6 in which said lock bar is provided with aligned openings in the opposite ends thereof, and in which said safety latch is a generally U- shaped component having inwardly turned free end portions seated within said openings and defining the pivot axis for said safety latch.

8. The cuff link of claim 7 in which said enlargement has a rounded outer corner portion to facilitate movement of said safety latch onto and off of said enlargement in being displaced into and out of interlocking engagement with said latch recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,671,385 5/1928 Strayer 24-248 B 2,596,357 5/1952 Anderson 2497 2,665,465 1/1954 Albrecht 24-97 FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner D. F. MARQUETTE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. XR. 24-97 

